Notes and News
by Gay Noeth
Spring 2003
For years, most bird owners have known the hazards of non-stick cookware (if you aren’t aware, please see links below.) Now it appears the Environmental Protection Agency is also questioning how safe it is for humans. The chemical in question is known as C-8 and has been linked to birth defects in rats. Dupont (the owners of Teflon trademark) is the only commercial U.S. manufacturer of C-8
To read more see http://cbs2.com/health/health_story_106193009.html
Didn’t know that Teflon and other non-stick coatings could be hazardous to your birds? Read some info.....
http://www.nilesanimalhospital.com/CareInfo/Avian/TeflonToxicity.html
- Do you find owning fish, relaxing?
- Have you bought your pet a gift in the last 12 months?
- Do you consider affection and companionship as a benefit of pet ownership?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are in good company. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers, households with pets have increased by 10 million in the last decade. Their 2002/03 Survey showed 64.2 million households now have pets.
Numbers from the survey show 77.7 million cats, 65 million dogs, 16.8 million small animals, 17.3 million birds, 8.8 million reptiles, 7 million saltwater fish, and 185 million freshwater fish, now share our homes.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?
BRD=1942&dept_id=500678&newsid=7554621&PAG=461&rfi=9
Research and Birds
In a recent study, it has been discovered that some birds have the same neuro receptors for speech, as do humans. It is believed that only three orders of mammals (humans, dolphins, bats) and only three orders of birds have the ability to imitate complex sounds. Twenty-one receptors had been previously identified in the human brain, and all 21 were also found in the brains of the birds studied (finches, canaries, song sparrows, strawberry parrots.) Scientists are hopeful that with this discovery, they will be able to better understand human speech problems, and loss of speech after injuries.
Full story at: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993397
In another story, there appears to be a correlation between bright colored beaks, and immune systems. For years scientists have watched females go to the flashiest male birds, but no one was able to understand the reason why. Now, in two separate tests, it appears the brighter the beak, the healthier the immune system, thereby the healthier and stronger the bird.
Researchers in both the UK and France came up with the same findings, although neither was aware of the others work. The UK Scientists designed a research project using finches, while the French designed a research project using Blackbirds.
To read about their findings see: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/
0403_030403_beaks.html
Unknown to the birds, the race is on. U.S. Geological Survey scientist Chandler Robbins recently documented the oldest living bird in the wild, to be an Albatross on Midway Atoll, at 51 years old. Upon his arrival back to the US from a visit to Midway Atoll last year, he realized that a bird he had just rebanded, had been rebanded 5 times and was able to trace its age. Interestingly, it was brooding a chick at the time of this latest rebanding.
But in Wales recently, a Manx Shearwater was captured and is now believed to be the oldest wild bird living. Its original band was from May of 1957 and at the time, the recorded age was between 4 and 6 years old. Was it 6, making it a possible 52 this year? We’ll never know but some interesting statistics follow this bird.
Experts at the British Trust for Ornithology believe this bird has flown at least 5 million miles in its life. Of these miles, half a million are believed to be from migrating to South America, and the rest are believed to come from long flights over the sea looking for food. To read these stories see:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/
2003/04/0417_030417_oldestbird.html ALBATROSS
http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993663
SHEARWATER